THE FLOCK NEWSLETTER

Featured Product:

12 oz Oriole Feeder

Baltimore Orioles should be arriving very soon, if they haven’t already! The best way to keep these orange beauties year-round is offering a buffet of different foods they enjoy, but keep in mind every yard is a little different! They love jelly, oranges, nectar, mealworms, suet, and dried fruits; consider starting the season with the sweets and then changing over to the others while they nest. This feeder is perfect because the top has wells you can fill up with jelly or treats, the base is a bowl for nectar, and you can spear an orange right through the hanging hook. Stock up today by visiting us in-store or shopping online at https://order.wbu.com/brighton.

What have we been seeing?

Handsome Turkeys!

Wild Turkeys are known to show-off for the females during breeding season. Our store manager Summer got a great picture of this one puffing up his feathers and strutting his stuff for several females. This behavior makes the males appear larger and establish dominance, which is considered a positive characteristic in nature. Males and females travel in separate flocks year-round, and only come together during mating season. When the females start to lay eggs, they will stay with other hens and raise their babies together. Learn more at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Wild_Turkey/overview

Bird Nerd Corner:

Interesting Behaviors!

Nesting season has begun, so keep a look out for some birds acting differently. Some birds have unique ways to deter intruders and parasites from their nests. Our customer B.H. shared a video of a White-breasted Nuthatch bill sweeping around a nesting box. Bill sweeping is when they rub objects like insects, plants, fur, or mud around the entrance to their nesting cavity. It is believed that these make other animals like squirrels, believe the hole is already occupied and that they should find somewhere else to hunker down. If you are interested in sharing a story or picture with us, send an email to [email protected].

Save the Songbirds:

Certifying Your Yard

The North American bird population has decreased by 2.9 billion breeding adults, a net loss of 29% over the last 50 years. Scientists have identified habitat loss as the biggest reason for the decline, so one of the best things you can do to impact your backyard birds is to plant native and rebuild habitat on your property. Creating a wildlife-friendly habitat is very rewarding and can help you attract more species of birds, butterflies, amphibians, and other critters.

This process is easier than you think, the National Wildlife Federation has an easy checklist that can be used as a baseline for building a beneficial habitat. If you follow their recommendations properly, you can apply to receive a sign that designates your yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat®.

The five most important things to include are food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainability practices. Food can be provided with a bird feeder or native plants that provide seeds, berries, nuts, or nectar. Water is another great feature that can attract a variety of birds and animals. If you do not live near water, consider adding a bird bath or creating a water garden. Coverage for animals might be a bit more difficult to establish, but the best way would be to include native plants that range in size or creating brush piles in your yard. The best way to meet the “raise young” requirement would be mounting a bird house. Lastly, you can maintain a sustainable habitat by mulching, composting, avoiding pesticides, and controlling invasive and exotic plants.

Spring is the best time to start planning and organizing your garden, so consider integrating a few of these things into it and certifying your yard with the National Wildlife Federation. Help us conserve nature and combat habitat loss for our feathered friends.

Source: https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Create-and-Certify/At-Home